How to Get Your Teen to Talk to You

Grigsby, a teacher and the coauthor of How to Get Your Husband to Talk to You, and Julian, a youth pastor, don't claim to have all the answers to communication difficulties in this earnest guide, but they offer a wealth of succinct suggestions in 52 short, energetic chapters. Bullet-points, current statistics, personal stories and summarizing statements help parents navigate topics such as autonomy, trust, anger and discipline. The authors spend considerable time on ""linguistics lessons""; whether teens talk meaningfully with their parents, after all, has much do with how parents talk and listen to their teens. Cutesy tips (put positive statements on either side of a negative one in a ""huggie sandwich"") are balanced by sound counsel (model good conflict-resolution skills with your spouse) and an eye-opening reference or two (a recent survey showed that 70% of teenagers identified their parents as the most influential people in their lives). While most of the chapters consider familiar topics such as family meetings and peer pressure, the authors also take a stab at analyzing the modern world in chapters like ""Decoding Postmodernism"" and ""Technologically Advanced, Media Numbed."" For parents seeking conservative, faith-based advice, this will make a useful guide.